The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-07-02
JACKS0N'S VICTORY.
AN INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE OF
NEW ORLEANS.

NEW ORLEANS.
On tho Plains of Chalmettc.A Troop Of
Panic Stricken Tagitivcs-"No Food
for Cowards and Meat for
Runaways.
At O'Clock the battle began, and tho rear
of the artillery, with the discharges of mus
Eetry, was almost as distinctly heard rs if i'll
our immediate neighborhood There was not
the slightest noise i'll the apparently dead
city 1t held its breath i'll awful suspense.
There was not human being to bc seen mov-
ing i'll the streets. We, tho two boys and the
ladies' of the household, petrtied into absolute
silence l'y the apprehensions of the moment,
stood on the balcony until 'su, when the fir
ing gradually ceased. But still! We continued
to remain on the same spot; for what was to
lnppcn! Were our defenders retreating. lur-
sued by the enemy! These We're hours of
anxiety never to be forgotten. About II
o'clock the oppressive silence i'll the city was
broken by the furiously rapid gallop of n
horseman shouting rs loud II, he could: Vic
tory! victory!' He turned from Charities
street into Dumaine md from Dunlline into
Royal, still shouting "Nirtory!' The voice
had become lInarse, and yet no human voice
that ever afterw;,in heard was fraught with
more sweet music. That night we went TO
bed with thankful hearts The two boys soon
slept sounlly, us boys sleep, with that bissfu
unconcern which appertainS to their age.
But l doubt if our kind hostess and her
daughters closed their eyes, for they had h,,s
bands, brothers. SolS on the battle field, and
they did not know at Wat cost to them the
victory had been achieved
In the morning of the preceding day the
famous battle of the Sth was fought on the
plains of Chalnntt", four miles below the city,
INA bee line TIE distance must have been
very short between the field of action and tho
Bore plantation, six miles above New Or
leans by the win'liEgs of the river. for the
furious cannonuling and the discharge Of
n'iSketry wcle plodgirusly distinct. The
laiics OF the family, pale with the natural
emotions of fear produced by the dangers of
the situation, were grouped in tho brouyl gal
icrv i'll front of the house. No man was viss
Die, for the only ono who had remained ,,'.
home ton account of his age had when the
battle began assembled with slow but firm
steps Il flight of stairs which led to the top of
tn" portico. At every volley of artillery or
muSke<y flung myself on the floor, eXclainl-
ing: Ten Englishmen killed. "Twcnty
Ensislmcn flat on the eround." and so on
L continued rejoicing in the fanced dcstruc-
tion of our invaders not witls,anling the re
nionStrancrS of my poor mother, i'll Whose
alarm very little participated. Tho battle
had not yet ended wien my grandfather Bore
came down from his post of observation with
the same measured step and tho same self
possession with which he had assembled md
sa:.l to his daughters, who anxiously nterro-
gated his looks: "Dismiss your fears, the
Americans are victorious"
But, father, how do you know it, inquired
my mother
"Houforgct my dear child" replied NJ. de
Bore, with calm smile, that / havc som"
military experience. My practiced ear has,
not been deceived, am sure. The American
guns havo silcnced the English guns. The
enemy is defeated"
These words had hardly been spoken when,
i'll the long avenue of pecan trees that led to
the river, there appeared II troop of about a
hundred men rushing toward the house.
The English. her" come the English.' was
the smnltancoua cry of the women NJ de
Bore stretched hinlstif up to his full height,
Shaded his eyes with his hand, and, after
having looked steadily al the advancing
crowd, said, contemptuousy:
These men the English. bahn
They came rapidly to the piazza, about six
feet high, on which we stood, and along
which ran wooden hn!n,tralc NJ dc Bore
did not understand one wore, of the language
spoken hy these unexpected visitors, whose
rasamui'in appearance was 10 recomnena-
ton. But il they 'scr' bandits, it was com
Portable to see that they ali were marmcd
who are they, and wLat do they want ~
inquired Mr. dc Bore, Surveying them cy-
IDENTIFY with 20 friendly eye. He was in
formed by one of his family that they were
fugitives who reported that the Americans
had been completely routed, that they them
selves We're portion of the defeated, and
that they begged for food. The blood ran to
the checks OF the old soldier, lis eyes flashed,
ond he shouted in French to the men: You
lie! The Americans arc Victorious You
have run away; You are cowards Never
Shall it be said that gave a hospitable well
come to dastardly fugitives from the battle
field. H"nce, all of you, OF | will call my
negroes to drive you away" His words were
not comprellended, but his indignant wrath
was visible, and lis pantomime was express
sive, One of the hrsgarly crew seemed to
apprcllcEl his meaning, for he took off his
hat and pointed with his index finger to {; hole
which looked as if made bv ball. He no
doubt intended to intimate that he had faced
danger, and that he was not as cowarl!v as
supposed. In making this exhibition he had
approached close to the piazza and held his
hat aloft. The old gentleman rctreated a few
steps; then rushing back to the ,austla,le of
the piazza. on Which he leaned forward, and,
looking down upon the suppliant below,
shouted: "In thy hat! in thy hat "--striking
bis breast violently" there is where the bail
should have been received and not through
thy hat, when probably thy bacl1 was turned
to the enemy. M. 10 food for towards.
There is food in the British camp: go and get
it,"
He wnS superb at that moment. and turn
lns his back upon the pitifui loosing postu-
laihs' be kept up pacing the piazza like
liini few feet behind, as he walked to and
fro with hurried step, and titus expostulated
all the while:
"Fa,ller, they look so miserable"
No. no food for towards have said
They seem to he so jaded and hungry"
"No. say no.
"Fathcr. they are 50 wet and shivcring
with coldr
NC! no food for fugitives from the field of
honor'
But, father" continued my mother, in Il
piteous tone, they may not have fled, after
all. Perhaps they o,iij' retieated Z"
Gran'!fafller wheeling round with a smil.
on his lips, and with the usual expression
of henevolcnce on his face. sail slaughter.
am iii!"xible. no food shall give to those
wretces But l am going away, and in
my absence You may deal as you please with
those heroes Of retreat" lavec res heros de
Ia rctraite'. True to his word, be- dis
appeared, and was not seen for the remainder
of the day
Meanwhile the little boy, who had grown
up to he the octogenaran who writes these
lines, had 4 grand time of it, for Lig fires
We're lighted over the vast court yard calves
AMI sheep wore killed and roasted, huge pots
Of hominy and of rice were prepared and
ho l.een!y enjoyed the barbecue, if he may be
permitted to use this well known modern
expression, that was given to those men, who
w-rc d'tachlncnt Of the kentur.ians that
had fed from Col. Thornton's attack upon
Gen. M"r,;ai'> command on tho right bank
.: the river, as related in history ry-Charcs
Gayarre in Harper's Magazine.
Grief and Business
There is story of n Chicago man who lost